2026 Blackout Experience: June 10-13
Join us as we bring together the resources and connections you need to grow, innovate, and make a lasting impact.
The Story of the Black Economic Success Trust
Creating Opportunity and Real Change
Our Mission
Our mission is to empower Colorado's Black community by providing essential support to Black-led nonprofits, Black-owned businesses, professionals, and Youth. By convening resources and fostering strategic collaboration across all sectors, we pave the way for growth, innovation, and lasting impact. Through uniting diverse efforts and cultivating partnerships, B.E.S.T. strengthens the collective economic power of Colorado’s Black community, advancing prosperity, resilience, and opportunity for all.
The B.E.S.T. Success Summit & Expo
Colorado’s Premier Black Business Event
Our flagship event, the Success Summit & Expo, is the largest indoor Black business expo in the state, and it is the heartbeat of what we do. Each year, we bring together over 1,500 visitors and more than 80 vendors to network and build their businesses. From fireside chats with global CEOs to the specialized Success Toolkit we give to every attendee, we create an environment where deals get done and professional legacies begin.
Building Wealth for the Next Generation
The 2028 Project and EYE Program
Prosperity takes time to build, so we start with our youth. Through the 2028 Project and our Empowering Youth Economics (EYE) program, we guide students on a five-year journey from the 8th grade through high school graduation. We teach them the essentials of budgeting, investing, and wealth-building, giving them the financial skills and entrepreneurial mindset they need to lead and succeed in the future.
Leadership Driven by Experience
Our Team
B.E.S.T. is guided by a Board of Directors composed of accomplished African American leaders whose professional expertise and lived experiences reflect the community the organization serves. Board members bring diverse leadership backgrounds across corporate management, entrepreneurship, education, technology, workforce development, supplier diversity, and nonprofit governance.
Equally important, many have longstanding ties to the communities B.E.S.T. serves and a demonstrated commitment to expanding economic opportunity. This combination of professional expertise and community credibility enables the board to provide informed strategic oversight, cultivate meaningful partnerships, and ensure that B.E.S.T.’s programs remain responsive, relevant, and impactful for the entrepreneurs, nonprofits, professionals, and youth we support.
Our Core Values
Empower
Black leaders, businesses, and youth to build lasting strength.
Collaborate
across communities to drive shared growth and impact.
Elevate
equity, opportunity, and prosperity for all.
B.E.S.T. Board of Directors
Carla Ladd
- BEST Founder, Executive Director
- DenverBlackPages.com, President
Haroun Cowans
- Board President, Fundraising Committee Chair
- Founder and CEO, Goshen Development
Dr. Jamal Bowen
- Board Member, EYE Program Co-chair
- Founder, Empowering Community Entrepreneurs
Zelda M. DeBoyes, Ph.D.
- Board Treasurer, Programs Committee Chair
- Retired City of Aurora Court Administrator; Univ Denver Adjunct Professor
Willie Franklin
- Board Member, Development Committee
- Corporate Manager of Supply Chain Diversity, Bechtel Corporation
B.J. Joyce
- Board Member
- Director, INROADS College Links
- Venture Partner, Rockies Seed Fund
Michelle Trail, MBA
- Board Member
- Executive at Oracle
- Founder of Traillionaires
Alicia “Lisa” Young
- Board Member, EYE Program Co-chair
- Aurora Public Schools
- Founder & CEO, IDEAs
B.E.S.T. Non-Discrimination Policy
The Black Economic Success Trust (B.E.S.T.) is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment in all aspects of our work. B.E.S.T. does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
This policy applies to all B.E.S.T. programs, services, employment practices, volunteer opportunities, partnerships, and board recruitment. We are committed to providing equal access to opportunities and resources for all individuals.
While B.E.S.T.’s mission focuses on advancing economic opportunity and empowerment within the Black community, participation in our programs and services is open to all who support our mission and values.
B.E.S.T. strives to cultivate a culture of respect, dignity, and collaboration where diverse perspectives are valued and where all participants feel welcomed and supported.
B.E.S.T Summit & Expo
Our Location
Contact Us
